


Take it Easy

by heyitscmei



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Snippets, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 22:46:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7732753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyitscmei/pseuds/heyitscmei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Keith doesn’t register much of what Hunk is saying, his mind preoccupied with wondering if he’s actually supposed to blurt out everything he’s feeling.  He’s never had to deal with anything like this before and Keith is honestly completely lost on what he’s supposed to do with... with this.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Feelings.  Damn them.</i>
</p><p><i>Damn them all.</i><br/> </p><p>Alternatively: the one where Keith works too hard and Hunk puts a stop to it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take it Easy

_It’s late._

At least, that’s the realization that Hunk comes to as his footsteps echo through the empty corridors.  There isn’t another paladin in sight, and while the castle is certainly big enough to wander through without running into people, there’s a different feel to the air.  He feels it in his tired limbs and the heaviness of his eyelids.

Hunk will admit that while he cherishes every precious wink of sleep he can get, especially with the events constantly occurring around them, he still loses track of time on occasion, wrapped up in tinkering on small projects in his hangar or trying to create new dishes in the kitchen.

It proves enough of a challenge without having the basic ingredients he’s used to every kitchen having, never mind all the foreign alien foodstuffs he finds on occasion.  Still, he makes do.  He’s pretty confident he can create food that actually tastes good in addition to being edible which is honestly a big step up from the green goo that had become the norm.

It’s after an evening of cooking that Hunk finds himself wandering sleepily back to his quarters, more than ready to feel the covers around him and the soft pillow tucked beneath his head.  He stops in his tracks though when he passes the training deck and realizes it’s in use.  He isn’t sure exactly who might be in there, especially at _this_ time of night, but he’s got an idea.  Peering inside, his suspicions are confirmed as he watches the red paladin fight against a few drones, emanating a restless energy that makes Hunk tired just watching him.

He lingers a second too long, wondering where the energy could possibly come from, and that’s when Keith spots him.  He ends the training sequence and addresses him.

“Hunk? What are you doing awake? Need something?” It isn’t as if they never talk, but they haven’t spoken often.

“Huh? Oh, no I was actually on my way to bed.” He yawns at that as if to emphasize his point. “Aren’t you going to go to sleep?”

Keith’s lips turn down a fraction at the edges and he turns to face the training deck again.

“Maybe in a bit.”

There isn’t really anything to say after that so Hunk just shakes his head and follows the corridor back to where their rooms are located.  Training that much _can’t_ be good for you, he thinks idly as he glimpses the door to Keith’s quarters.  They may not be close yet, but they’re a team, which is enough to warrant Hunk’s concern.

 

* * *

 

It’s an early morning on the castle-ship, or at least, it appears to be.  The castle is quiet and Hunk is just shaking off the sluggish drowsiness he feels, trudging down the halls towards the kitchen.  There isn’t much for him to do right now and Hunk figures maybe he’ll treat the other paladins to breakfast, a change of pace they could possibly benefit from.  Breakfast is the most important meal after all, it wouldn’t hurt to share the new dishes he discovered he could make.

He passes the training deck, mostly out of curiosity, and isn’t sure if he should be surprised that it’s in use.  Peering inside, he finds Keith again.  He doesn’t look as if he’s started training quite yet, instead, sitting on the ground stretching out his limbs. Hunk isn’t surprised to find that Keith rises early, but he wonders if he does this _every_ morning, even after the late night training sessions Hunk has learned Keith is prone to.

 _This much training_ definitely _can’t_ _be good for you._

Hunk finds himself wandering inside just as Keith straightens.  Hearing footfalls, Keith turns and faces Hunk, confusion playing in the way his eyebrows scrunch up slightly.

“You’re training again? Don’t you ever, you know, take a break?” Keith frowns at that.

“The universe is depending on us,” he says slowly, as if resting is a preposterous idea.

“Yeah, but man, you just- you can’t push yourself that hard.” Hunk has his hands on Keith’s back, vaguely registers the tension underneath the muscles there, and pushes him gently out into the corridor before he really realizes what he’s doing or where he plans to take him.  “What if you push yourself too hard and get hurt and we can’t form Voltron?”

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“We’re teammates now.  You know, brothers united under a common cause? It’s kind of in the job description.  I’m supposed to care, man.  You, me, Lance, Pidge, and Shiro...  even Coran and Allura.  We’re family now.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Then why won’t you? Look, we’ll have more chances to train later.  Just take it easy, alright?  What time did you even go to bed last night?”

“You sound like Shiro,” Keith says instead, dodging the questions.  They don’t have clocks so Hunk isn’t expecting an actual time, but the refusal to answer is telling enough that he probably went to bed late again.

“Do I? Well now I _know_ I’m doing the right thing.” Hunk chuckles and Keith just shakes his head and relents.  When Hunk has set his mind on something, it’s proven very difficult to sway him off his course.

It’s unsurprising that they find themselves in the kitchen since that’s where Hunk had been headed to begin with.  Hunk ushers Keith into a seat with minimal complaints and goes about putting some dishes together that he thinks would be suitable for breakfast.  Keith is fidgeting in Hunks peripheral and he realizes belatedly that Keith probably doesn’t want to just sit there watching him bustle about when Hunk was the one who dragged him away from training.

Well, while Keith is here Hunk may as well get a second opinion.

“Could you taste this for me?” Hunk holds out a spoon to Keith.  For a minute they just stare at each other and, not knowing what else to do, Hunk does the first thing that comes to mind.  He starts moving the spoon closer to Keith’s face and makes spaceship noises.  Keith looks unimpressed, if not a little taken aback.  His mouth opens, maybe to protest, but it’s enough and Hunk manoeuvres the spoon into Keith’s mouth before he can get a word out.  He is aware that Keith’s pouting at him around the spoon – it’s really not hard to miss – and Hunk drops his hand as Keith chews, slowly.  His expression shifts to surprise and when he opens his mouth again he says, “It’s good.”

The way Keith, likely without meaning to nor realizing he’s doing so, leans forward is kind of... unexpected? It’s almost _cute_ in a way that Keith usually isn’t.

It sounds like a question, like he can’t really believe that this mush, remarkably similar looking to their typical space goo, tastes _good_.  Satisfied with that, Hunk continues putting breakfast together and dividing it onto seven plates.

“It _looks_ good.” Keith remarks.  Hunk isn’t sure what Keith was expecting, but he isn’t about to dump mush unceremoniously onto their plates and call that breakfast.  No, he’s going to make sure they know what kind of breakfast they’re in for.  One that tastes as good as it looks, that is.

There’s something satisfying about the way the others tuck into the meal.  Even Coran gives his compliments to the chef in spite of being a little cross over not being the one to prepare breakfast that day.

Maybe it’s because Keith was with him when he prepared breakfast, but he’s especially proud to find the red paladin eating his meal so eagerly, a small smile on his face, likely at the prospect of eating something that isn’t bland, bordering on disgusting, and weirdly textured.

 

* * *

 

Keith finds himself in the kitchen more often after that when Hunk insists he’s pushing himself too hard again.  Keith is surprised by the fact that he doesn’t actually mind the distractions so much anymore, but, because he is who he is, he complains a little bit anyways before inevitably giving in.

“It’s for your own good, man,” is what Hunk tells him, and Keith isn’t as bothered as he thought he would be when he hears that.  There aren’t any implications that Keith can’t take care of himself, just that Hunk cares about him and Keith feels warmth settling in the depths of his stomach.

“ _Fine._   What are you making today?” Keith asks, voicing his curiosity.

“Don’t know yet.  I found these weird blue things... I think they’re herbs?”

“You _think_?”

“ _Relax._ ” Hunk waves a hand dismissively.  “Allura, Pidge and I have already confirmed that they’re edible.  I just need you to taste test like usual.  I haven’t poisoned you yet, have I?”

“... No.”

“Trust me.”

The food is usually delicious, and it’s Hunk who never holds ill-intent to anyone that isn’t a foe, so Keith does.

 

* * *

 

It isn’t as if he’s trying to keep an eye on Keith, but when it’s gotten to the point where he probably spends more time on the training deck than in his own quarters, it’s easy enough to find him and even easier to discern when he’s pushing too hard.  He doesn’t pester him with breaks too frequently, recognizing the importance of keeping their skills polished, but the least he can do is make sure Keith doesn’t train himself sick or seriously hurt himself with all the extra effort he’s always putting in outside of their group training.

Isn’t that what teammates – family – do? They stop you from doing stupid stuff and make sure you’re okay.  They protect you.

He’d been on his way to his hangar to continue working on a small project he’d started to fill time and burn his own restless energy, but he takes a detour towards the training deck anyways.  Keith is, unsurprisingly, inside.  Keith looks as if he was almost expecting Hunk to interrupt when he walks in.

“Already?”

“Normally people look forward to breaks, you know.”  Keith doesn’t say anything to that but follows Hunk out of the training deck anyways.

“We’re not going to the kitchen today?” Keith asks when he realizes they’re headed towards the hangars.

“I wanted to work on something else today.  If you like my cooking that much, we can go to the kitchen later if you want, though.” Hunk spares a glance at his companion and finds him slightly flushed, embarrassed.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Once in the hangar, Hunk mostly asks Keith to hand him various tools, but when Keith asks about what he’s doing, he finds himself explaining his work and how everything is supposed to turn out in more depth than he initially intended.  Keith, for his part, watches and listens with rapt attention.

Hunk isn’t sure what prompts him to do this, maybe it’s the interest that Keith seems to take in all this, but he hands Keith a few of the tools and tells him what to do, occasionally guiding Keith’s hands to where they need to be.  Keith stops flinching at the contact, so he stops trying to be cautious about when he touches Keith’s hands.

Keith’s hands are warm beneath his, but that’s not really surprising.  They’re also calloused from combat, but that’s not surprising either.  They’re smaller beneath Hunk's hands, which is a little surprising though he supposes it shouldn’t be.

At one point Keith accidentally smudges grease over his cheek and Hunk laughs.  Then he laughs more at Keith’s confused expression, brows furrowed and almost pouting, as he reaches over and presses a rag against Keith’s face and tries to wipe at the smudge, moving without giving much thought to the action.  Keith startles slightly at the touch so Hunk elaborates.

“You’ve got a little something on your face,” Hunk tells him, gesturing with his other hand.  Keith gets the message and takes the rag from Hunk wiping blindly along his cheek and hiding the faintest flush behind the cloth.

 

* * *

 

Inspired by the peacefulness of the planet the crew currently finds themselves taking a long overdue break on, Hunk comes up with something different he can do with Keith during their break day.  He’s started really looking forward to these break days.  Between saving the universe and constant stressful battles, the opportunities to just relax like regular teenagers feel so few and far between.

And because Hunk is a good teammate who cares about his fellow paladin, he makes sure Keith remembers to relax and just be a teen again sometimes too.

Predictably, Keith asks him where they’re going when Hunk lead him to neither the hangars nor the kitchen.

Hunk thinks over the question for a minute, wondering how much to reveal before deciding that it’s going to be a surprise.  Keith frowns at that, but follows anyway and Hunk is pleased by the eagerness Keith is displaying, small and subtle, but very much there.

Finding a grassy spot that seems comfortable enough, he pulls a blanket out of the backpack he’d brought and spreads it out over the ground.  He takes a seat and beckons for Keith to sit next to him and Keith only hesitates for a fraction of a tick before he sits, close, but still maintaining a careful distance from where Hunk sits.  Hunk offers him a reassuring smile which Keith, surprisingly, returns and it’s endearing the way the corners of Keith’s mouth turn up almost shyly.

Hunk pulls some food out of the bag, surprising Keith with what could have possibly passed for a couple of sandwiches – maybe, if they weren’t blue – amongst other food experiment successes that he knows Keith has yet to try.  There’s enough for a small picnic, which was exactly the intent, and Keith quirks an eyebrow at him as if to ask _"A picnic? Really?"_

He doesn't seem to be displeased though which is a relief.

The situation is almost funny, Hunk will admit.  They, paladins of Voltron in the middle of war, are sitting and having a picnic.  Most everyone is in agreement that they can use their downtime as they please though, so long as they remain ready to fulfill their duties should the need arise, and a relaxing picnic didn’t sound like a bad way to unwind.

Hunk is glad that Keith doesn’t ask him why he didn’t invite any of the others along or ask Lance or Pidge to go with him instead, because it’s a little embarrassing to admit to someone like Keith that he likes spending time with him.  They’re getting closer, he thinks – if the small smiles and the (hopefully) mutual eagerness to hang out is any indication.

When he places a hand on Keith’s shoulder, pushing lightly in response to a teasing remark, he’s pleased to find it void of its usual tension, even if Keith still has his knife strapped to his belt.

They fall into a comfortable silence and it’s almost like being back on Earth – except the children playing nearby are aliens with 4 arms each and the grass is purple.  A rock startles them, thumping heavily nearby and a child runs up to them, apologizing.  The child notices their lack of extra arms and they’re suddenly bombarded with questions about what planet they’re from and what it’s like there.

Keith chokes on his blue sandwich when the child asks with the innocence of a small puppy if they’re carrying out an “Earth human mating ritual” and Hunk blushes.  The child loses interest before they can clarify properly and they wince as she kicks the heavy rock as easily as if it were a beach ball, running to rejoin her friends.

It’s awkward at first when Hunk and Keith exchange glances, but then they’re laughing and Keith almost spills his water with the way his body shakes with the action.

When he admits to Keith anyway that he enjoys their breaks together, he’s pleasantly surprised when he gets a soft smile in response.

“Me too.”

 

* * *

 

“Didn’t we take a break yesterday?” Keith asks when Hunk enters the training deck.  He sounds more confused than irritated, though.

“Yeah, but that’s not why I’m here.” Keith is surprised at that and his head tilts slightly in confusion.  “I wanted to get some training in myself.”  That clears the confusion from his face and he also seems relieved that Hunk isn’t here to drag him away again.

“Want to spar?”

“Yeah.” He’s got a ranged bayard, but he knows he won’t always have the luxury of being distant from enemy.

They get set up and Keith seems pleased by this change of pace when he drops into stance across from him.

Hunk’s well aware that Keith is second only to Shiro in terms of combat.  He’s also well aware that Keith doesn’t pull his punches.  In spite of his strength, Keith has speed and experience on his side and he knows how to use it.  So Hunk’s not surprised to find himself pinned relentlessly for the first little while.

Keith looks a lot different when they’re sparring, Hunk realizes, eyes alight with a fiery determination combat brings while looking for holes in Hunk’s defense.  When Keith pins him for the fourth time he has this charming little smile lighting his face and he lets out a short triumphant laugh.

While Keith’s face is a sight to behold, Hunk acknowledges that he may have to change tactics here.

Keith lets him up and he does what any rational person in this situation would do.  He reaches for Keith’s sides.  Then he’s tickling him and Keith’s face is one second of pure surprise before he’s laughing.  A little surprised, but mostly pleased that it worked out, Hunk continues his attack.  Eventually Keith’s legs give out beneath him and he’s on the floor gasping between loud bouts of laughter.  Hunk manages to swing his weight over Keith’s legs to stop him from flailing.

“M-Mercy! Mercy!” Keith shouts between breaths, knowing he’s lost this battle, and Hunk relents.

“That one’s my win.” Hunk points out as he stands.

“ _Tickling_ isn’t an approved form of sparring.” Keith pouts before rising to his feet unsteadily.  Hunk puts his arms out to offer support, but Keith just waves him off and takes a few deep breaths.  Hunk offers to call it there, but Keith insists on a few more rounds.  They stick to normal attacks after that.

Hunk wins some, he loses some and then he’s outside of the training deck and it’s late.  He’s tired from the exertion, but it’s a sleepy Lance mumbling a goodnight to him that confirms that the day has passed.  Keith looks like he might linger so Hunk tugs him in the direction of their rooms.

“Nope, we’re done.  Both of us.  Seriously, man, aren’t you tired? Because _I_ , for one, am _tired_.”

He goes into his own room after dropping Keith off at his room and he finds himself thinking when his head hits the pillow.

The sight of Keith pinned beneath him, flushed, sweaty, and out of breath, shirt riding up just slightly was a different kind of sight to behold, intimate in nature, and Hunk tries not to dwell on that.  He can figure these thoughts out tomorrow when he isn’t completely exhausted.

 

* * *

 

Keith always seems to be pleased when Hunk joins him to train.  Sometimes they spar, sometimes they take on the gladiator and there’s something fulfilling about how well they’re starting to work together.  There’s also something sweetly satisfying about the way Keith smiles at him when Hunk manages to pin him.  He’s getting better at using his strength and size to his advantage and he earns himself a small, proud little smile from Keith every time he manages to best him without resorting to tickling.  They find themselves debating whether or not tickling is an effective offensive strategy as they take a quick break, catching their breath.

“What if the Galra are ticklish?” Hunk asks, and Keith’s nose scrunches up.

“That’d be weird,” Keith decides.  “I don’t think that’s something I want to confirm though.”

“It worked against you though.” Hunk points out and Keith pouts.

“I wasn’t wearing armor at the time! But the Galra _would_ be and that’s why it’s not an effective offensive strategy.”

Neither of them are seriously trying to win the debate so they leave it at that and Keith scrambles back to his feet, offering a hand to Hunk.

“Best 4 out of 7?” Hunk grins and takes Keith’s hand as well as the offer.

“You’re on.”

 

* * *

 

It isn’t that Hunk doesn’t enjoy Lance and Pidge’s company.  Lance is his best friend and the three of them were a team even before they jumped through that wormhole when they first found the blue lion.  It’s the fact that he’s very much aware that Keith isn’t here to taste test for him right now and he kind of wants him to be.

He feels a little guilty about the fact that he keeps thinking about Keith when they’re trying to talk to him too.

“Hunk? Earth to Hunk!” Lance calls.

“Quiznak,” Hunk mumbles as he comes to a, frankly overdue, conclusion.

“What is it? Has all that time spent with Keith finally gotten to you?”

“Probably.” Lance laughs triumphantly at that and Pidge’s eyebrows furrow.

“I was under the impression that you enjoyed your breaks together,” they say.

“I don’t know how you could stand his stupid mullet for so long,” Lance sighs.

“No, I... I think I _like_ Keith,” Hunk says simply, shrugging as he returns to his food.  Lance’s jaw drops to the floor.

“ _What?”_

“I called it.”

“How could you have possibly known?!” Lance whirls, pointing at Pidge.  “Hunk didn’t even know!”

Pidge just shrugs and continues to tap away at their laptop.  “It doesn’t take a genius, genius.  So when are you going to tell him?”

“That picnic you guys went on that one time would have been a good opportunity if you’d known by then,” Lance points out.  Hunk supposes that’s true.  Should he bring Keith out on another picnic? Would Keith like something like that? Hunk tries not to think about what might happen if Keith says no because at this point he doesn’t think Pidge and Lance would let him get away with _not_ saying anything.

Family is supposed to stop you from doing potentially stupid things, but apparently this stupid thing is an exception.  Pidge and Lance enforce this when they try to bounce ideas off of him.

“You could take him on a date into that nearby alien village and have them hold signs as you confess,” Lance offers.  Pidge snorts.

“What is he doing? Proposing? Where would he even get the paper? Besides, we want Keith to say yes, not punch Hunk in the face.”

“I’ll figure something out,” Hunk says.  “Maybe.”

“Good luck, man.”

 

* * *

 

Keith finds himself pacing in the lounge, aware that Shiro is waiting for him to say something, but not knowing where to start.

“I think I’m coming down with something,” he says eventually, flopping into the couch across from Shiro.  It earns him a look that looks like it’s a mix between amusement and concern.

“Keith Kogane is admitting he might be sick for once? It must be bad, you should get checked out immediately,” Shiro teases.

“Shut up.” Keith scowls, which draws a chuckle from Shiro before he expresses his concern.

“Are you feeling okay?”

“Well...” and Keith drops his gaze, embarrassed.  “I always feel warm and I think my heart starts beating funny when Hunk drags me away from the training deck.”

“Are you sure you’re not overdoing it?”

“ _Shiro._   Besides, I can’t overdo it when Hunk keeps dragging me away to make sure I don’t overdo it."  Keith tries to sound irritated, but he ends up sounding far too fond instead.  He can’t bring himself to be irritated about that either.

“Oh really? Remind me to thank him.”

“ _Anyways._   It’s just- It’s _weird_ okay? I don’t _feel_ sick, but my stomach turns sometimes and my heart beats fast and I feel all warm...” Keith waves his hand around vaguely out of frustration, collapsing further into the couch.  Shiro appears to ponder this information for a while before giving Keith a knowing smile.

“Keith.”

“ _What?_ ” He doesn’t mean to snap, but he just really wants to get to the bottom of this.  He tries to train, but then he’ll wonder if Hunk will join him and he’ll start feeling warm.  Or he’ll wonder if Hunk is going to take another break with him and he wonders what they might do, stomach flipping with anticipation.  He doesn’t feel sick or uncomfortable, but it’s _distracting_.

“Well, I can’t say for sure, but have you considered that maybe you like Hunk?”

“Of course I like Hunk,” Keith says, wondering why Shiro’s asking something so obvious.  “I like all of you guys... Even Lance, but if you tell him I said that I’ll deny it.”

Shiro laughs.  “That isn’t what I meant.  I meant that maybe you liked him more than you thought.”

“That doesn’t make any...”

“Romantically, Keith.”

Oh.

_Oh._

“Shiro what do I do?” Keith groans.

“Just tell him how you feel.”

“But _how?_ “Hey Hunk, I really like and respect you and it’s really nice when you teach me about mechanics and let me taste your cooking because it’s really tasty and it feels nice to know you trust my judgement”?” Keith blushes after he finishes because _oh god_ that would be so _embarrassing._

“Pretty much?” Shiro says.

“I can’t do this.” Keith wonders how this could have happened without him realizing it and groans.  Shiro reaches over and offers him a comforting pat on the shoulder.

“Good luck, buddy.”

Later when Keith is at the training deck, he pointedly does not glance at the door, and he definitely does not think about Hunk and how much he wants to see him.

 

* * *

 

When Hunk goes to get Keith at the training deck, Keith follows without complaint.  If Hunk finds anything unusual about that he doesn’t say anything, instead launching into an explanation on his progress on the attempt to recreate pizza.

Keith doesn’t register much of what Hunk is saying, his mind preoccupied with wondering if he’s actually supposed to blurt out everything he’s feeling.  He’s never had to deal with anything like this before and Keith is honestly completely lost on what he’s supposed to do with... with _this._

Feelings.  Damn them.

Damn them all.

Hunk ushers him into a seat and he sits without complaint.  He can’t help the excitement lingering just under the surface, wondering what Hunk might be making today.  He tries to convince himself that it’s just because Hunk is a great cook, but he knows on some level that that’s not the only reason.  He gets wrapped up in watching Hunk cook, thinking about Hunk, before deciding that maybe he _does_ want to say something, even if it makes him sound kind of like an idiot.

“Hey, I-” He tries, but then Hunk is holding a spoon in front of him, waiting expectantly.  Keith leans forward and takes the spoon into his mouth.  It’s as tasty as Keith has come to expect from Hunk’s cooking.  The bowl is placed in front of him so he continues eating.

“I realized something, recently,” Hunk says casually as Keith places another spoonful into his mouth.

“What is it?” Keith mumbles around his mouthful of food, quirking an eyebrow up.

“Okay, don’t take this the wrong way.  Just hear me out,” Hunk starts.  “I don’t really see you as a brother after all.”

Keith wonders how he’s _not_ supposed to take that the wrong way, but before he can say anything Hunk seems to register that that sounded kind of bad and barrels on.

“ _Because_ I like you, I mean, not like a brother, but more than a friend.”

Keith chokes and immediately Hunk’s got an arm around him, patting his back and offering him something to drink.  Keith vaguely notices the blush on Hunk’s face and he’s fairly certain he’s blushing too.

As far as confessions go, it wasn’t the most graceful, between the accidental faux pas and Keith choking, but he still feels a rush of relief course through him.  Because he likes Hunk and Hunk apparently _likes him back._   Recalling he still has yet to actually answer, Keith sucks in a breath and steels himself, meeting Hunk’s gaze.

“Me too.” Keith cringes at his own short answer, but it seems to be enough and Hunk beams at him, absolutely radiant.

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

_Bonus:_

  

There is something extremely amusing about Lance’s expression, Keith thinks, when he catches Keith tucked against Hunk’s side trying to get through a book while simultaneously trying to decipher Altean gibberish.  Or when Lance catches Keith with his head in Hunk’s lap, watching Hunk fiddle with something small or just letting Hunk run his fingers through Keith’s hair.

“It’s soothing.” Keith shrugs when asked about it.

“I’ve got to say, I never thought that I’d ever walk in on my best friend and my best rival cuddling, but I was apparently wrong.” Lance says, one day.

“Is Pidge around to record this? Lance is actually admitting he was _wrong_.” Keith teases.  “I guess this means I have better game than you?”

“It does _not_! You did manage to bag yourself a _hunk_ though, so I’ll give you that.” Both Keith and Hunk groan at the awful and embarrassing pun.

 

* * *

 

It’s a little awkward when Allura asks them to tell her more about human couples and “courting rituals” as Coran goes on about the fiery passions of youth and how he remembers his first love, but Lance definitely gets a kick out of it.

“You don’t have any experience to speak of either,” Pidge says and Lance squawks indignantly.

“ _Yes,_ I _do._ ” He insists.  “I wouldn’t mind showing you anytime you want, Princess.  Like maybe tomorrow evening?”

“ _Lance._ ”

Hunk and Keith are pretty glad to be out of the hot seat at the very least and Pidge shoots them a thumbs up.

 

* * *

 

Shiro gives them his blessing.

“ _Shiro_!” Keith screeches, swatting at him.

“Thank you for taking care of Keith,” Shiro says, putting a hand on Hunk’s shoulder.  Hunk just chuckles, albeit a little nervously.

“ _Oh my God._  You’re so _embarrassing_. Go away.” Keith groans.  Shiro laughs and ruffles his hair, ducking away when Keith swats at him again and then ducking out of the room to leave them alone.

“I don’t know why, but for some reason I was almost afraid he wouldn’t approve.”

“That’s stupid.  Besides, I don’t _need_ Shiro’s approval.” Keith says, grabbing Hunk’s hand as if to prove a point.

“I’m still glad to have it though.  He’s like family to you right?”

“You’re all family to me.”

“That’s true.”

“I’m _not_ going to beg for Lance’s approval though,” Keith adds as an afterthought and Hunk laughs.

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine
> 
> i just really wanted to write something for this ship tbh i have no excuse  
> i got a little carried away
> 
> [my tumblr](http://heyitscmei.tumblr.com/)   
>  [my twitter](https://twitter.com/heyitscmei)


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